Electromagnetic selector

ABSTRACT

An electromagnetic selector comprising a series of retractable stops which may be operated by an electromagnet energized by an electric current controlled by a magnetic contact through which the current is fed through an interrupter connected directly to a source of electric current.

Waited taies Patent 1191 Guidet [451March 20, 1973 [54] ELECTROMAGNETICSELECTOR [56] References Cited [76] Inventor: Pierre Guidet, 74, rueRobert, 69 UNITED S E T S Lyon, France 1,403,342 1/1922 Mortensen..318/466 X [22] Filed: July 30, 1971 2,725,514 11/1955 Mylting3,081,410 3/1963 Vogl ..318/466 X [21] App]. No.: 167,767

Primary ExaminerGeorge Harris Assistant Examiner-W. E. Duncanson, Jr.[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Att0rneyRaym0nd A. Robic July 31,1970 France ..7029l28 [57] ABSTRACT An electromagnetic selectorcomprising a series of [52] US. Cl ..318/265, 318/467 retractable stopswhich may be operated by an elec [51] R1111. C1. tromagnet energized anelectric current controlled [58] Field oi Search ..3l8/264, 265, 466,467; by a magnetic Contact through which the cum-em is 307/141, 143fed-through an interrupter connected directly to a source of electriccurrent.

3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEUHARZOIQYS 76 SHEET 10F 3 Pierre 6U/fiff PATENTEUMAnzoma 3,721,878

SHEET 2 or s \NVENTOR BY e re CDUIDET ELECTROMAGNETIC SELECTOR Thisinvention relates to an electromagnetic device permitting to select, toarrange in order, and to control the successive operations of amechanical, thermal, hydraulic, or electric machine, which machine maybe manually or automatically controlled.

The electromagnetic selector, in accordance with the invention, is forautomatically operating a control device or a number of electricalcircuits in various positions in a predetermined sequence duringpredetermined time intervals and according to a predetermined cycle,while permitting to obtain as many different cycles and rapid transferfrom one cycle to the other. In a first embodiment of the invention theselector comprises an electric motor having a driving shaft, an armcoupled to the shaft, a cylinder mounted adjacent the arm, a fingersecured to the arm and adapted to move around the periphery of thecylinder, and a series of stops positioned around the periphery or thecylinder and adapted to be engaged by the finger during rotationthereof. The stop include contact bearing stops the contacts of whichare connected to a timing relay, a timing stop for providing dead timesin the operation of the control device or of the electrical circuits,and fixed stops located at both ends of the above-mentioned series ofstops for energizing the motor. An interrupter is positioned adjacentthe timing stop for stopping the motor.

In a second embodiment of the invention, the electric motor is coupledthrough an electromagnetic device to disengageable gears connected to apinion which is secured to a worm gear adapted to engage theabove-mentioned retractable stops which, in this embodiment, arepositioned on a flat base.

The above-described electromagnetic selector finds application:

a. in the electrical and electronic fields to automatically regulate theenergization of a predetermined number of circuits (control, lighting orpower circuits) in a predetermined sequence, during predetermined timeintervals, according to a predetermined cycle, while permitting toobtain as many different cycles as it is wanted with the same set-up andthe rapid transfer from one cycle to the other on a same machine, suchas, for example, regulation of traffic lights, control of variousmechanisms of the control circuits of an automatic machine or of amachine which it is desired to render automatic;

b. in the mechanical field to automatically operate a control device(lever, wheel, etc.) in various positions, in a predetermined sequence,during predetermined time intervals, according to a predetermined cycle,while permitting to obtain as many different cycles as it is wanted withthe same set-up and the rapid transfer from one cycle to the other;

c. in automatic sequential electromechanical or mechanoelectronicdevices permitting to obtain the above-mentioned functionssimultaneously.

The invention will now be disclosed with reference to preferredembodiments thereof and to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. l is a perspective schematic view of a work piece to be realizedwith the machine in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a selector in accordance with theinvention using an arm, a cylinder and electromagnetically retractablestops;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the device illustrated in FIG.

FIG. 4 illustrates a second embodiment of the system illustrated in FIG.2;

FIG. 5 illustrates a third embodiment of the device in accordance withthe invention; and

FIGS. 6 illustrates a schematic view of an electromagnetic retractablestop used with the selector device in accordance with the invention.

Let us take a drilling machine the operations of which are are desiredto be rendered automatic. The problem is as follows: I

It is desired to drill six holes of various diameters D1 to D6 in a workpiece 1 such as illustrated in FIG. 1. The holes are located ondifferent circumferences and have between themselves various angles 01']to a5. Such a work piece is first positioned on a table which may berotated by means of a control wheel 2 the angles or rotation al to a5 ofwhich correspond to the above-mentioned angles between the holes of thework piece.

If the above work piece is manufactured manually, the work will be doneas follows:

I. the work piece is placed on the table of the machine and fixed inposition and the control wheel is rotated into starting position 1;

2. the chuck carrying slide bar used for drilling the first hole ofdiameter D1 is lowered and, after the hole is drilled, the slide bar israised by its own return spring;

3. the control wheel of the drill is rotated an angle (11 to bring it toposition 2 and the table supporting the work piece 1 rotates an angle al and comes into position 2;

4. the chuck carrying slide bar is again lowered to drill the secondhole of diameter D2 and, after drilling the hole, returns to its upperposition under the control of its return spring;

5. the control wheel is rotated an angle 0:2 to bring it into position 3and the table rotates a corresponding angle (1'2 and comes into position3;

6. the third hole of diameter D3 is drilled and so on until the sixthhole of diameter D6, and then the control wheel 2 is brought back tooriginal position 1 by turning it in the opposite direction; the workpiece is then removed from the table and replaced by a new one.

In the automatic operation of the drill, the lowering of the chuck isdone by means of an electric motor the stopping of which frees the chuckto permit such chuck to return to its original position under the actionof its own return spring. Let us call :1, t2, etc t6 the time intervalsnecessary for the drilling of the respective holes of diameters D1, D2,D6. The apparatus, in accordance with the invention, will permit toobtain in a totally automatic fashion:

1. the angular positioning of the control wheel 2 (positions 1 to 6)during the desired time intervals (t1 to 26);

2. the feeding of current through the automatic devices during thedesired time intervals permitting to lower the chucks for the drillingas soon as the control wheel 2 has reached the desired position;

3. the return of the control wheel 2 to the original position 1 when thesixth hole has been drilled and when the chuck has returned to its restposition;

4. the renewal of the cycle.

The apparatus illustrated schematically in FIGS. 2, 3 and 6 comprises anelectric motor 3 having a driving shaft 5 upon which is keyed an arm 4which is biased by a powerful spring 6 towards its extreme end of travelposition. One of the ends of the spring 6 is connected to arm 4 whilethe other end thereof is connected to the stator of motor 3 or to afixed piece. The arm 4 has at its free end a finger 7 which may berotated around the periphery of a cylinder 8 upon which are mountedcontact bearing retractable stops 9, the contacts of each stop beingconnected to a timing relay 10. A retractable timing stop 11 is providedto realize a dead time for installing and dismantling a work piece onthe machine. Each contact bearing timing stop is connected to a timingrelay for a time duration to The six contact bearing selection stops 9are connected respectively to six timing relays 10 during time intervals:1 to t6 respectively. For the timing relays, the contacts permittingclosure of the electromagnetic circuits of the six stops 9 are of thedelayed type. The time delay thereof corresponds to the time necessaryto permit the return of the chucks to their rest position once a holehas been drilled.

The extreme stop 16 is fixed, that is non-retractable. The energizationof the motor 3 is insured by means of the timing relay of such fixedstop 12 at the time when the relay is dropped. The stopping of the motoris insured by means of an interrupter placed under the timing stop 11.

The apparatus so far disclosed operates as follows:

The operator places a work piece on the machine and fixes it inposition. He will then energize the motor 3 through a manual switch. Themotor 3 will drive the arm 4 and the finger 7 connected thereto as wellas the driving wheel 2 until the arm 4 gets into the original position.During movement of the arm 4, the selection stops 9 as well as thetiming stop 11 are retracted by the arm 4 coming in contact with the canshape of the stops. When going past the timing stop 11, the switchassociated with such timing stop stops the motor. The arm 4 being thenbiased only by its return spring 6 starts to move in the oppositedirection. The finger 7 contacts the timing stop 11 and the contact ofsuch timing stop feeds the winding of the timing relay of timinginterval to The assembly of arm 4, finger 7 and control wheel 2 is thusimmobilized. And the end of time interval t0 (during which the operatorhas been able to place a work piece in position and eventually withdrawthe one which has been previously machined) the relay of the timing stop11 drops, the contact of the circuit of the electromagnet 17 operatingthe stop closes, the stop is retracted against the action of its returnspring 18, the contact permitting the automatic feed of the winding ofthe timing relay is closed, the finger 7 is thus free and the arm 4drives it against the following stop (ref. 1 of FIG. 3) under the actionof spring 6.

The circuit for the automatic feed of the winding of the timing relaycomprises a contact the opening of which is delayed by a few seconds.When such a contact opens, the winding of the timing relay is notenergized any more and the timing relay comes back to its rest position.The contact of the circuit of the stop electromagnet is open, the stopis no more attracted and returns to its normal position under the actionof its return spring (FIG. 6). The device is then ready for the nextcycle.

The finger 7 is now in contact with stop 1 and the winding of the timingrelay having timing interval t1 is fed as well as the circuit No. 1feeding the device controlling the lowering of the chuck for drillingthe first hole of diameter D1. At the end of time interval t1, thetiming relay drops and the winding of the relay is automatically fed bya contact which is closed and by another contact the opening of which isdelayed. The contact of circuit No. 1 opens and stops the devicecontrolling the lowering of the chuck. The chuck of diameter D1 returnsto its rest position under the action of its return spring. The contactof the electromagnetic circuit of the stop which is delayed in itsclosure is then closed and feeds the electromagnet which attracts thestop against the action of its return spring. The stop frees the finger7 which then comes in contact against stop No. 2, driven by arm 4,itself biased by its return spring 6. During this time, the contact,which contact has a delayed opening, of the automatic feed circuit ofthe timing relay relay is opened. The relay comes back to a restposition causing the contact of circuit No. l to open and electromagnetcontact of the stop to also open. The stop is no more attracted andreturns under the action of its spring causing the contact having adelayed opening of the automatic feed to close and the instantaneousautomatic feed contact to open. The device is thus ready for the nextcycle.

The operation is the same for stops 3 to 6.

When the timing relay (of timing period 26) of the stop No. 6 drops, thecontact controlling the starting of the motor is closed. The motor drivethe arm 4 and its finger 7 against the action of spring 6. The stops 9are retracted because of their cam shape and, in retracting the laststop 1 1, such stop operated the interrupter controlling the stopping ofthe motor. The finger 7 is driven by the arm 4 in the opposite directionafter the motor is stopped under the action of spring 6 and such finger7 comes again in contact with timing stop 11 to start the cycle again.

In the second embodiment illustrated schematically in FIG. 4, there isused an arm 4 which may be disengaged in the case wherein rotation ofthe motor in both directions is required. The device may also be coupledwith an electromagnetic clutch.

The embodiment using an arm with a return spring is possible when thetotal angle of rotation is relatively small and when it is necessary toreturn to a rest position in a direction opposite to the direction ofselection.

In the third embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5 there is used anelectromagnetic clutch l2 driving a disengageable gear 13 which iscoupled with a pinion 14 secured to a worm screw driving a nut 15, whichnut operates the contact bearing retractable stops 9. The operation ofan additional contact opens the feeding circuit of the electromagneticclutch and the arm or the nut is no more driven.

There may also be used a disengageable arm with an electromagneticclutch together with a motor having two directions of rotation. The twodirections of rotation of the motor are givenby the relays of theextreme stops at a time when they drop.

There may be used one or plural disengageble arms, these operating in acompletely independent fashion. The motor turns permanently in onedirection or the other; this selection is done by the relays of thestops.

A disengageable arm 4 permits the driving thereof when such arm is notagainst a stop. It permits to obtain an adjustable contact force for thefinger 7 against the contact bearing stop 9.

The driving of arm 4 may be done by means other than an electric motor.

The timing stop 11 may be located in any position with respect to theselection stops 9 each time that a dead time is needed.

In the case of selections having degrees of rotation higher than onefull turn, the set-up of FIG. 5 must be used in one or two directions ofselection.

The driving of the worm screw of FIG. 5 may be done not only by means oftooted pinions but also be pulleys and belts or by any other systems.

Iclaim:

1. Electromagnetic selector for automatically operating a control deviceor a number of electrical circuits in various positions, in apredetermined sequence, during predetermined time intervals, andaccording to a predetermined cycle, while pennitting to obtain as manydifferent cycles with the same set-up and the rapid transfer from onecycle to the other, comprising: a motor having a driving shaft; an armcoupled to said shaft; a cylinder mounted adjacent said arm; a fingersecured to said arm and adapted to move around the periphery of saidcylinder; a series of stops positioned around said cylinder and adaptedto be engaged by said finger, said stops including contact bearingretractable stops for operating said device or circuits, a retractabletiming stop for providing dead times in the operation of said device orcircuits, and fixed stops for energizing said motor; and an interruptorpositioned under said retractable timing stop for stopping said motor.

2. Electromagnetic selector as defined in claim 1, wherein said arm iskeyed to said shaft and is biased into an extreme end of travel positionby a heavy spring one end of which is connected to the arm and the otherarm of which is fixed to a stationary point.

3. Electromagnetic selector for automatically operating a control deviceor a number of electrical circuits in various positions, in apredetermined sequence, during predetermined time intervals, andaccording to a predetermined cycle, while permitting to obtain as manydifferent cycles with the same set-up and the rapid transfer from onecycle to the other, comprising: a motor having a driving shaft; anelectromagnetic clutch connected to said driving shaft; a gear coupledto said electromagnetic clutch; a pinion coupled to said gears; a wormscrew driven by said pinion; a nut coupled with said worm screw; aseries of stops located on a flat base adjacent said motor and adaptedto be engaged by said nut, said stops including contact bearingretractable stops for operating said device or circuits, a retractabletiming stop for providing dead time in the operation of said device orcircuits, and fixed stops for energizing said motor; and an interruptorpositioned under said timing stop for stopping said motors.

1. Electromagnetic selector for automatically operating a control deviceor a number of electrical circuits in various positions, in apredetermined sequence, during predetermined time intervals, andaccording to a predetermined cycle, , while permitting to obtain as manydifferent cycles with the same setup and the rapid transfer from onecycle to the other, comprising: a motor having a driving shaft; an armcoupled to said shaft; a cylinder mounted adjacent said arm; a fingersecured to said arm and adapted to move around the periphery of saidcylinder; a series of stops positioned around said cylinder and adaptedto be engaged by said finger, said stops including contact bearingretractable stops for operating said device or circuits, a retractabletiming stop for providing dead times in the operation of said device orcircuits, and fixed stops for energizing said motor; and an interruptorpositioned under said retractable timing stop for stopping said motor.2. Electromagnetic selector as defined in claim 1, wherein said arm iskeyed to said shaft and is biased into an extreme end of travel positionby a heavy spring one end of which is connected to the arm and the otherarm of which is fixed to a stationary point.
 3. Electromagnetic selectorfor automatically operating a control device or a number of electricalcircuits in various positions, in a predetermined sequence, duringpredetermined time intervals, and according to a predetermined cycle,while permitting to obtain as many different cycles with the same set-upand the rapid transfer from one cycle to the other, comprising: a motorhaving a driving shaft; an electromagnetic clutch connected to saiddriving shaft; a gear coupled to said electromagnetic clutch; a pinioncoupled to said gears; a worm screw driven by said pinion; a nut coupledwith said worm screw; a series of stops located on a flat base adjacentsaid motor and adapted to be engaged by said nut, said stops includingcontact bearing retractable stops for operating said device or circuits,a retractable timing stop for providing dead time in the operation ofsaid device or circuits, and fixed stops for energizing said motor; andan interruptor positioned under said timing stop for stopping saidmotors.